In 1970, Sears Chairman Gordon Metcalf explained, “Being the largest retailer in the world, we thought we should have the largest headquarters in the world.” Did You Know
Meanwhile, the variations in tube height disrupt the force of the wind. The tubes support one another, strengthening the structure as a whole. The tower is comprised of a cluster of nine tubes connected together to act as a single unit. Their use of the innovative system ushered in a whole new era of skyscrapers. When this 110-story tower was designed, architect Bruce Graham and structural engineer Fazlur Khan of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) utilized the bundled tube system to address structural problems never before seen at this scale. But as buildings continued to grow taller and taller, new solutions were required.
Everything about the Willis Tower says 'big.' The building’s many stories, its place in Chicago business history, its design and its recent energy-saving improvements are a mini-course in 'why design matters.' Susan Jacobson, CAF Docent Class of 2008Īrchitects have always been tasked with designing tall buildings to resist wind loads. The Willis Tower still claims the distinction of having the highest occupied floor among North American buildings. Bruce Graham and Fazlur Kahn’s game-changing design A Docent Perspective
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